Chapter 118: Fina (5)
9f2f41‘Aren’t Lady Fina and Lord Dereck spending too much time together lately…?’6BLF85q
HQWfeGAiselin thought as she carried materials on court etiquette and left the classroom building.SuyWG
nR1MSQeWhile she had been absorbed in her work, autumn had suddenly settled in completely, with clear blue skies and a pleasantly mild climate.YuM7PO
LMDZA7After the start of the semester, Baron Ravenclaw’s mansion had been full of chaos, but now the weekly schedule had stabilized, and a sense of calm was beginning to spread among the young ladies living their academic lives.SLMoI
JUERxIt was an afternoon when the weekly schedule was about to end and rest time was beginning.joFx
aJdfjIn the central garden of the baron’s mansion, where a cool, pleasant breeze blew, many young ladies were having tea or chatting.xHQX
rErqRSome got into carriages to visit Ebelstein Street during the break, and other more diligent students practiced magic on their own in the training field without taking the day off.bQN
93GSOHmBefore she knew it, Baron Ravenclaw’s mansion had grown quite large.X0fnIL
KsOnwDOAfter all, many families, since their daughters attended there, spared no expense in supporting it. Aside from tuition, several wanted to use their own funds to build additional convenience, cultural, and academic facilities for them.Ioi
71cDelbriton accepted those intentions and decided to add various facilities, and in no time, the baron’s mansion, originally a single estate, had turned into a complex with seven large buildings and more than eleven auxiliary facilities, becoming a well-equipped place for social exchange.uK2QI9
uKoFIf one were to ask who had contributed most to all of this, without a doubt, it was Aiselin.FxA4p
h43She walked down the corridor of the mansion’s main building with a somber expression, unaware that she herself was already the true power behind the Ravenclaw Training Center.EYR
jUe‘Lord Dereck is human too; he can’t treat all the young ladies equally. It’s only natural that there’s someone among them who catches his affection, draws his attention, or whom he wants to teach more…’TniHxpb
zTGSpeaking of Dereck and Fina, their private conversations had increased noticeably lately.kDu
HKzmMost of the time, they were about magic classes or impressions of the humanities lectures held in the annex building. It was the sort of talk a teacher would have with a student, and Aiselin tried not to pay it too much mind.beg8qx
esTYHowever, even if they were close, they were too close.ifMvtj
ezY3After meals, she often saw Fina leaving Dereck’s office in a hurry, or the two of them seriously discussing magic in a corner of the training grounds. She had even seen her visiting Dereck’s office late at night.KpFKt
ogPpJAt that point, Aiselin couldn’t help but have complicated thoughts.nAxMVG
Frx83WAlthough it seemed impossible, she couldn’t shake the idea that Dereck and Fina might develop a relationship beyond that of teacher and student.XL5O
JuwECaught up in questions she couldn’t even answer herself, she ended up burying her face in her desk.kbkk
uk4“My God… what am I doing? How undignified…”mgt
eIb9qY4Aiselin quickly raised her head and adjusted her jet-black hair.Obox0m
T08oqAs she twisted the ends of her hair, she let out a deep sigh and reflected.Y0duvg
kvaFina had an oddly captivating aura.RBeLFV9
rdVq0‘As a business partner, shouldn’t I confirm this with Lord Dereck? If they end up having an improper relationship, who knows what could happen…’eo6
iU6DaBut thinking that way also felt strange to her.jCD
8v4j6J‘Improper? In what sense? Can what Lady Fina and Lord Dereck do really be considered improper? A man and a woman their age falling in love doesn’t seem strange at all. They’re both from baronial families in remote regions, so they probably have things in common, and their ranks are similar—there wouldn’t be any incongruity if they were together…’yaicd
kVtIn truth, Aiselin came from the high-ranking noble family Duplain, several levels above Dereck.QITpQM
KcZVOf course, the Duplain family had recently fallen into decline, and that was already in the past, but the saying that a noble’s wealth lasts three generations was not false.wD8ixk
KNWiWhen Dereck and Aiselin stood side by side, there was an obvious difference.6E4ou
bMka07The noble hierarchy was cruel.pEE0me
Qkx“…What on earth is wrong with me?”NwUr
Zunawo2Suddenly, she felt a strange emptiness and lifted her head.Mtx19Jh
i7dWhen she looked at the elegant full-length mirror in the corner of her office, she didn’t see the Jewel of Ebelstein, the Queen of the Rose Hall, but an ordinary woman blushing for no reason.kh3Szf
MIxAiselin Eleanor Duplain. Herself.RcAdOk
tnqX“Yes, let’s stop making ridiculous excuses that don’t suit me and speak honestly. Twisting things around isn’t my style.”jaJB
kaaneGrasping the mirror with both hands and exhaling, Aiselin managed to calm herself just barely.Th4
VMBl63Even in a cold social world, at least when she was alone in her room, there was no reason to lie to herself.uEIc
tIGCAnd then came an unexpected self-questioning.56L
TN4“What is it that’s bothering me so much?”dBpjr
i8CZShe waited a few seconds before continuing.AE3J
9pXi“No matter what Lady Fina and Lord Dereck do, it’s their decision—it would be ridiculous for a third party to meddle in their personal lives… So why am I so restless and upset to the point of pacing around…?”mjO
VXxrUfh“…”3kl
MPFnnL0“…”kWjVn
mENShe remained silent for a while as she looked at herself in the mirror.gmse7
XmNw24bThere was a girl with a completely red face, nervously touching her hands.WO6k
USJfue“…I have no choice but to admit it. I… I’m jealous. Ugh…”F1743p
INJJaQ5Leaning back, Aiselin fell into her chair and covered her face with her hands. Her fingers burned from the strange heat she felt.6to974
IUSJpwNo problem can be solved without first acknowledging it.1cJ
MAYfUJAiselin was mature enough not to lie to herself or justify things with rationalizations.k3ISvxV
2LsmuBut that didn’t mean the problem was solved.LRnvNY
gnj6“How ugly, but… I admit it… I’m jealous! I’m envious!”KVrVt
FTgFor someone who had been the flower of House Duplain and the Queen of the Rose Hall, envy was an unknown emotion.hvR
dNhZFOnly Ellen, who had always lived in her shadow, had known that feeling.hffmbm
gxM3HOnly then did Aiselin feel that she understood a small part of the emotion that had burned in Ellen’s eyes.FOvcya
33dm7ITo put it plainly—she was jealous of Fina!x2fT0FT
kM96hjAlthough she hadn’t done anything special, she envied her greatly—her position, the fact that she monopolized Dereck’s attention. She wanted to be noticed too.aZp4
YDvjpAnd by admitting it so directly, she felt a kind of relief spreading through her chest.IDvjt
xcdOtfLHuman emotions—once acknowledged and released—produce a strange sense of liberation.8EMbb2
zCdFFH“…Could I perhaps be a very complicated woman…?”8p67
lpYOf course, that self-reproach that comes afterward was its own kind of punishment.GEzhdfZ
QDmgU“Or maybe I’m just naïve…? In moments like this, do I try to attract attention however I can…? No, I’m not a child throwing a tantrum! What am I saying… how low am I going to sink…?”0WCkU
aS2S0Aiselin adjusted her hair and took a deep breath for a while.xzUIwb
GHjKqhOnce she calmed down a bit, she placed a pretty accessory in her hair again, sat in front of the mirror, and straightened up with a serene and elegant air.w0H
YnnCuNow, the most renowned noble lady of the Rose Hall had returned to the mirror.xFm3
KjiJ“Oh… I must focus.”0Dljg
XjMdIt wasn’t the time to mope over unimportant things.QK8hTP
5iTQB3sAiselin was a key figure of the Ravenclaw Training Center. By working diligently day by day, the seasons had changed, and each day brought something new that made her feel her life had meaning.Ke6A1
YV08KFor a fallen noblewoman, wasn’t that already a great happiness?bVsk
HJhvFeeling envy, wanting attention—all of that now seemed pitiful. Even at that very moment, the servants of her household, Diella and Leigh, were working tirelessly for the family.RoyV
Rvbv“Yes. I must do my best too.”vbN6jO
sJAilWork had piled up to the point where she could only sleep two or three hours a day.Q02J
D58XMLShe had maintained that pace for months.57PQe
EWBfbHaving so much work was a blessing. Grateful for that environment, she decided to carry out her duties with even more determination.grE
nWpuTIt was then that Aiselin reaffirmed her resolve.yYJAMr
P5UXl7QDrip.1qWIj
nnaxWk“Huh… what…?”JELT5
3DfiARA thread of blood ran from Aiselin’s nose.2qyj
LvBPAXQStartled, she quickly grabbed the handkerchief on her desk and covered her face.iVRSZNN
JWVBIt was more than clumsiness—it was humiliation. If that had happened in public, her dignity would have been seriously damaged.P5L
8yHYYdDizzy, she tried to wipe away the blood flowing from her nose.fsGLPD
bkCI“Oh… no…”OsY
BfOeELlSuddenly, her vision clouded as if a shadow covered it, and Aiselin’s body collapsed backward.4YxXT
XyoFCrash! Bang!GignKI
gPiA loud noise echoed through her office, and it didn’t take long for Butler Delbritton, noticing the unusual sound, to rush to the scene.nPm
JV5ZI***IY8N
DMqs3lwA guiding spirit that emitted a faint glow, summoned through a first-class summoning spell, floated at the tip of Dereck’s fingers.NVuMRSO
F1FMAmong summoning spells, which are divided into biological and non-biological, this particular one was uniquely classified as non-biological.JKPy8
AKOmpRwWas it because the fairy did not communicate, had no consciousness, and moved only by following commands that it wasn’t considered a living being?uTSP
NQLIn fact, the fairy summoned by that spell followed the summoner’s orders completely mechanically, without making any judgment.7LJyh
pAlzOIt could do nothing more than trace the path taken so far or observe the surroundings and report possible dangers.z2bQ
gh2TWEven those supposed dangers were usually limited to detecting the presence of monsters.0uT81
bw48OTl‘It’s not versatile and useless in combat. Although it’s helped me a few times during labyrinth exploration, I definitely need to learn at least level two-star summoning magic.’bTJJt
qU0oThe weekly schedule was nearly complete, and Dereck was sitting alone in a corner of the garden, silently watching the glowing fairy.BbPKgDV
ERA“Well, it seems Lord Dereck has a great interest in summoning magic.”PxrY2Kz
dinujaWith a mischievous laugh, Fina approached from behind and raised her voice.syz8
oRwLcwIt was hard to believe that this girl, who now smiled so boldly while calling out to Dereck, was the same necromancer who, at night, watched everything with narrow, piercing eyes.vBcMa
lrLW3j2“Did you finish your humanities class?”4sGh
uZMN“Of course. As I said, there are many interesting things to hear, so I’m quite satisfied. Although it doesn’t exactly match actual history.”j3yWKAo
hG5LMWhen Fina said that, her tone took on a meaningful nuance.Crca
yEAYl4nAfter all, that girl had personally witnessed several of the events considered historical.0dQCS
nhs“Someone could be listening.”B5P7
yknV“That’s why I’m being so respectful, isn’t it? For me, Lord Dereck is like a lofty master in the heavens.”X94spBw
qrOS4V“…You seem to be enjoying yourself.”KTY7t
bMsEfiP“Acting is always fun, no matter how old you are. So? How’s it going? Do you think you’ll be able to break through the four-star barrier?”YN2U5
LJpqktW“…”KvkO
1lB4zThe truth was that Dereck still didn’t fully understand it.h6B
v0noZIt wasn’t a level that could be reached overnight or through intuition alone—not even for nobles of pure blood who had full support.pfa
dVfQUAyCertainly, theoretical knowledge alone was not enough.v0l
1fAQpSomething else was needed. A catalyst.J67vI
XvRbzOl‘It would be best if I could consult a summoning magic master separately, but there aren’t many summoners in the southwestern part of the continent…’e42VK
0uhacF0Dereck fell into thought.Qbx
qy2s‘Famous summoners in the southwest—Rope Gale from the Drest Society, Pablo from the Krem Guild, Viscount Blythe… no others…’r1a2
qJXCWThere was one person who couldn’t be left out when speaking of great summoning masters.9dw8sg
GCAdfTThe Grand Duke Beltus.FqfuHKp
yeFA five-star summoner, capable of bringing forth the army of mountain spirits or even a massive magical library if he wished.CtvB
I6DO‘…None of them are easy to contact.’I9GU4
NhqN3A“So you plan to fill your pockets elsewhere, leaving this noble master in front of you behind?”HDj2Bi
bXKjY“…There might be eyes watching during the day, so could you please maintain formality?”EKq1NtB
Klc“Really, men are so timid.”l0drX
m8Eb4The presence of a necromancer was like a bomb that could wipe out an entire family.Ulsk
WGeWgThere was no harm in being cautious, so Dereck didn’t yield.TGoZ
VoVaTFina, who understood Dereck’s circumstances well, gently closed her eyes, smiled calmly, and nodded.Fp6wb
GPo“I originally had three other mentors.”p4EM
1R8IZ“I thought you only had good luck with women, but it seems you’re lucky with teachers too. Though of course, none would have more magical knowledge than me.”SIr3
C1n“Well…”NNxmREj
dU5Jot“…Was that a joke?”gjo
TLDKauEven if one of them had been a beggar from the slums or Katia, Dereck’s third teacher was someone who could rival the legendary Necromancer Fina.iuyEKB
BVE14bRThat was also the reason why Dereck’s search magic surpassed that of ordinary mages.SB9xBl
i2WNrdFina watched Dereck’s reaction silently, then frowned.n7ObT
sJ3J1D“That hurts my pride.”UarLvA6
hCJJhC“…”6fCw2i
zE3F“Who the hell could it be?”wZ87a
OoRYCAs she said that, Fina was about to flash a seductive smile.FyUmOXe
lBn3b9Tap, tap!5RrZ
0VBHZORDelbriton, who always valued dignity and usually walked calmly, suddenly became alarmed and ran toward where Dereck was.TPb4
vRf6He didn’t even care that his antique monocle swung from its chain; he ran full speed, breathing heavily.kDEm7
i0CKu“Ugh… huff… I was in the garden, Baron.”rjsFOO
xpLuFW“Is something wrong?”5ORKp
nyRIf“Lady Aiselin has fainted.”ObuWNK9
yUjPAt those words, even Dereck—who rarely showed surprise—couldn’t help but widen his eyes for a moment.JRWt
3eJYQm***VQddGa
Q3KSqueak, squeak.j7tmZ
fsKBang!MINe
OX7KAiselin, her face flushed red, lay on the bed, letting out small whimpering sounds as she slept.U1dd
Zxt3The servant in charge of medical duties was watching the situation beside the bed, and when he saw Dereck burst into the room, he quickly bowed his head.ebJP5T
1XJkQPK“Baron.”2jFA81
LxSOTi“Report the situation.”CT1aGRU
JMa“The butler found her unconscious in her room. I rushed over immediately and administered basic medical treatment.”18LLi
Lb5Dereck strode in and examined Aiselin’s condition.w7YW
0xCcQsJShe didn’t seem to be in immediate danger. However, she was sweating slightly, and her complexion was quite pale.8LYyZj
UWFTzQl“It’s exhaustion. Sometimes, those who devote themselves entirely to work don’t even notice their bodies are deteriorating.”MzM7
J1p“There doesn’t seem to be any risk to her life or any serious aftereffects.”MGlc
q9WDL4“Yes, that’s correct. Once the fever subsides, she should regain consciousness soon.”Yppxk0
FWtwSSThe servant said only that before retreating to the edge of the room.apt
4TLVnlb“…”gHsY
5krG1jDereck silently watched Aiselin, who had yet to wake, and let out a deep sigh.skfJ
86UWcVdThen he sat down on the wooden chair beside the bed, resting his hands on his knees, lost in thought.tmiRqG9
FwapU3Thinking about it, it was more surprising that Aiselin hadn’t collapsed from overwork sooner.p5hlh
18ciNHowever, Aiselin was such a strong and steadfast person that he had thought she could endure it easily.cLr9
vdXUAlthough it was clearly unreasonable, her ever-smiling face and her ability to handle everything smoothly made it hard to notice any signs of strain. She was always looking for more tasks to take on.fruP
jVMBut one thing must never be forgotten—the physical and mental strength of a person is a resource that gets consumed.hw1
TrMbButEven though he knew that, he had believed Aiselin was an exception.oY2KX7d
nkikIf sacrifice and dedication are taken for granted, the organization will eventually collapse.NECCy
5X7JTDereck realized he had made a very basic mistake as a leader.PXO7qBF
Mq6xlMQ“…”pTuay
ibuSDereck was not very expressive with his emotions.dOG
wa0a9yHowever, there was a distinct seriousness in the way he sat silently, pressing his knees with his hands.7AsFg
blegUnSThe servants, noticing the heaviness in his expression, could only bow their heads, unsure of what to do.Fou
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